


Cinderella

by BabooBremond



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: AU, F/F, Fluff, Princess!Emma (kind of)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-17
Updated: 2017-01-17
Packaged: 2018-09-18 05:23:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,524
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9369878
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BabooBremond/pseuds/BabooBremond
Summary: SwanQueen. Emma being a servant, Regina the Evil Queen... both of them attending a ball. What happen next ? Very fluffy OS, I originally wrote that for my best friend's birthday





	

**Author's Note:**

> This is my very first time writing anything in English cause I'm French... so It's probably not perfect. Sorry for grammar and for any mistake is mine !  
> (And it's also my first time posting on Ao3, so I hope I didn't make any wrong manip )

It was just another day, just another day to cry over what she had, just another day to obey her sister, just another day where she would slowly lose every hopes and dreams she once had.  
Kneeling on the floor, she pushed her hair out of her sight, and began to clean everything again, always. There were always more dirt to clean, more dresses in the laundry, more things to do. Emma was so tired of this life. Everyday, she would wake up and wear the same horrible dress. Then she had to skip breakfast to work. She had to do everything her sisters would ask, and her sisters loved to ask her for stupids things.  
One day, Emma had to clean Snow-White's dress cause Ruby had touched it. She hadn't wore it, nor put dirt on it, no, she had just put her finger on it. But it was Snow-White's dress, and no one touch Snow-White's stuff.  
Another time, Ruby, her other sister, had Emma looking in the forest, in the middle of the night, during several hours, for a lost necklace. Turn out the necklace wasn't lost, Ruby had just forget she had throw it away when coming back in her bedroom.  
Each day she had to watch them parade into this house like it was theirs, when in reality it was all Emma's. When she was just a child, her mom died. She was on the road to go sell on the market but the bridge she had to pass through was very fragile, particularly this day cause of the rain the day before, and it didn't support her mom and all her merchandise. It collapsed an Emma's mom fell in the river. Her head hit a rocks and it was already too late when she was found later in the day. Emma was very young at the time it happen so she didn't really understood what was happening, she don't even really remember how her mom looked. The only things she know is that her mom was better than her step-mother is. All her childhood, her father passed many hours telling her about how her mom was so kind, so generous, so beautiful, so forgiving. Then, he fell in love again.  
He fell in love with a despicable woman. A woman who came live in here with her two daughters. She had always hated Emma. But as long as her father was alive she couldn't do anything. So she waited. She waited until he died, until Emma was totally heartbroken by that, then she took everything she could.  
She gave Emma's dresses to her daughter, told them that Emma was now a servant. The blond had lost everything when her Daddy died . And now, here she was, cleaning the floor when she should be out there, living her life, her princess's life.  
*****  
Snow entered the hall of the manor running and smiling, not caring about Emma being there.  
-Ruby !!! Come down ! I have something to tell you !  
Emma sighed when she saw Snow had let footprints everywhere in the hall. She would again be one who will clean all that mess.  
Ruby came down, bringing with her the heavy scent of her bad perfume.  
-What's going on, Snow ?  
-Prince Eric is throwing a ball tonight, he hope to meet her spouse !!  
-We got to go !  
The two youngs girls were now hugging and hopping at the same time, screaming about how this evening was going to be so awesome. Because obviously, the Prince was supposed to see them and just fall in love. Love at first sight, thought Emma, what a silly idea. You can't just fall in love without knowing the person.  
-Ruby, Snow, why are so loud ? Did the peasant dared to say something ?  
The peasant. That Emma's name now. Her blood was more noble than they could ever dream to be, but they called her peasant. She hated that. And she hated them.  
-No Mother, Snow answered. We are just so happy. The Prince Eric have a ball tonight where he hope to met his future spouse ! We have to go Mother !  
Cora's face lit up hearing her daughter's words. The only things Cora wanted to see more than Emma dead was her daughters being Queens. And the only way to achieve that was to marry them to some prince.  
-Of course my dear. Let's go find what dress you're gonna wear tonight.  
Watching them go, Emma didn't even felt the tear on her cheek. This was now her life. And the saddest things was that she wasn't even fighting against it anymore.  
****  
-Regina, you have to go !  
-I don't see why ! It's a ball throw by a little prince who search someone to marry ! Come on, there's no chance he could fall for me ! I am the Evil Queen, remember !?  
-I don't want you to marry this prince, I just want you to go there !  
-But why ?  
-I can't tell you, I'm Fairy Godmother, can't you just do something cause I told you too ?  
-Last time I did that, you almost got me killed !  
-Come on, it was just a mistake ! You can't stay mad at me just for that !  
Regina didn't answer. She wasn't really mad at Zelena, well not anymore, she just wasn't seeing any interest in going to that ball. She was the Evil Queen, she didn't do ball. And she didn't even knew that prince Eric.  
-Come on Regina, give me one good reason why you can't go there ?  
-I didn't receive an invitation ?  
-You're the Evil Queen... No one gonna argue against your presence.  
-That's another good reason : I'm the Evil Queen, why should I go ?  
-Cause I tell you to ? Please, I swear you won't regret it ?  
Zelena was simply begging now, she needed Regina to go there, it was her last to have her happy ending. The brunette had made a lot of bad choices theses lasts years and Zelena knew it was partly her fault cause she wasn't really a good fairy. But tonight was her chance, their chance. If the evening goes well, Regina could retrieve the young girl she once was, the one that was so sad when she killed a horse, and Zelena... Zelena could have the satisfaction to know that she had give back her soul to the Evil Queen.  
-I stay one hour, no more, Regina finally said. And if something goes wrong, I swear this time I'll kill you.  
Zelena nodded eagerly. She was ready to take everything she could have, Regina just HAD to be at that ball ( and they both knew Regina couldn't kill her ).

*********  
Few hours later, Emma was alone. Ruby and Snow were already gone and finally had finally decided to go with them, just to be sure everything was going to be fine once they're at the ball. So that left Emma, alone in the dark castle, doing the laundry and trying to not think about how miserable her life was.  
-What are you doing ?  
Emma gasped and turned back : right there was a smiling woman who was visibly confused about Emma actions.  
-Who...Who are you ?  
-I'm your fairy godmother, of course. Why aren't you getting ready ?  
-Ready for what ?  
-For the ball !  
Okay... That was like a different world... Why would her fairy godmother want her to go to the ball, she didn't even had a fairy godmother !  
-I know what you're thinking girl, and everyone have a fairy godmother, we just appears only when you need us.  
-Seriously, you expect me to believe that ?  
-Hey, I'm not the one making the rules !  
She couldn't believe it... after all these years of wishing for her life to change, that woman just popped out of nowhere, just now, to told her she had to go to a lame ball ?!  
-I won't go to that ball.  
With that, Emma just turned away and continued her laundry, ignoring the woman behind her.  
-Oh no, you don't get to do that ! You have to be there.  
-My sisters are gonna be there, I can't go. If they see me, they're gonna make my life a living hell.  
-Oh yeah, cause right now your life is sooo perfect.  
Emma shot a glare at the other woman before sighing.  
-Why do you even want me there ?  
-Your happy ending gonna be there.  
-I don't believe in happy ending, Emma chuckled. I don't even believe in you.  
-Okay, that's a mean things to say to a fairy, but I know you're lying or I wouldn't be there.  
-Just... Let go, okay ? I told you I won't go at that ball, I can't.  
-Pleeeease, I'll give a mask so no one recognize you...  
*****  
And here she was, two hours later, in the crowded hall of Prince Eric's castle, utterly lost. She couldn't believe this... Zelena did convince her to come here.  
She felt so out of place. All these girls, these teenagers mostly, came to show off in front of a Prince who would judge them as piece of meat ... Damn, she wasn't there for 20 minutes and already regretting it.  
She looked around, searching for something, anything, that could attract her attention and could help control this feelings of claustrophobia rising in her chest.  
And that's when she saw her. Her eyes stood still on the woman looking out over the crowd from a balcony, eyeing everyone. From a distance, she could not see as well as she would have wanted, but Emma managed to distinguish her blood red lips and fine traits of her face. Even from a distance, it was clear that she was the most beautiful woman she had ever seen.

 

***********  
There were so many people everywhere. Mostly young woman, coming across the country to have a chance to marry that stupid prince. All these women should learn how to exist by themselves rather than try to find a husband.  
Watching the crowded hall of Prince Eric's castle, Regina sighed : this hour would never pass fast enough, she just arrived and she was already reconsidering what she said to Zelena. Perched on the balcony, she admired all the futility of this colorful crowd. That was why she never went to dances: all this atmosphere, it was not her. It had perhaps been a long time ago, when she was young and naive and she believed in true love. But today ? Too many things had changed.  
When the prince finally arrived, being fashionably late, she was actually happy with the distraction : with him here, no one was watching her anymore. Almost no one.  
Almost nobody. Lost in the crowd, there was this young woman who was still watching her. All the upper of her face was hidden under a delicate dance mask matching her dress, but Regina could still to discern her blue eyes. The same pale blue as her dress. A blue so pale, it seemed almost white. A bit like the very pale skin shade of the young woman ... Everything she was, all she exuded, was just innocence and purity ... So much that Regina almost felt guilty for looking at her, as if just by her look she was going to mess her up... She was the Evil Queen, she didn't do purity.  
But it was stronger than her. The young woman was looking back at her and Regina was simply powerless, unable to turn away.  
On the other side of the room, hidden in a dark corner, a young woman with green skin watched them smiling. Everything was going as planned.  
****  
The ball was in full swing, Prince was twirling and dancing with all the princesses who were there while Emma desperate to see the beautiful woman earlier. She had not seen on the track or near the buffet or on balconies, she didn't understand where she could be.  
-Would you offer me this dance, dear ? asked an husky voice behind her.  
And for the second time that day, Emma was startled by someone talking to her in her back. She turned and found herself face to face with the beautiful woman.  
After having weighed the pros and cons, Regina had finally decided she had nothing to lose to invite this magnificent creature. In the worst case, she told no, in the best cases, she accepted and it would make the time pass quicker before she can leave without betraying her word to Zelena.  
-I... You... Yes, of course...  
The brunette smiled at the young woman stammering but didn't comment, merely taking her hand and lead her to the center of the dance floor.  
Emma is being led, not having learned to dance in any other way ... And she had, anyway, the impression that the other woman would not let herself be led by anyone .  
Only echoed through the room to the sounds of musical instruments, all discussions stopped when they began to dance. Two women dancing together was not common. And seeing the Evil Queen dancing with anyone was unpublished.  
Soon, the room is filled with whisper. Everyone wondered what Regina was doing there, and who was that blonde who appeared to be in her good graces.  
Emma noticed everything she wasn't able to see before. She could see better the perfection of the brunette's face and discovered a scar on her upper lip. For an instant, the crazy thought of kissing crossed her mind and made her blush, but no, she couldn't do that ...  
Under the mask, Regina realized that Emma's eyes were not blue but green, and for few seconds, she was amazed on the smoothness of her beautiful face before smiling at her blush.  
-Why are you here ? asked Emma before restraining herself.  
-The same thing as you, Emma, I suppose.  
-Yeah, probably...  
She knew she should be worried that this woman knew her name, but honestly she just couldn't, the only thought on her mind was that she really needed her to stop talking with that hoarse and husky voice, cause Emma was beginning to feel hot, and it really wasn't a good time for blushing some more.  
-Ladies and gentleman, our last guess : The Queen Maleficent and her daughter, Lady Lilith.  
Regina went still. What was Maleficent doing here ?  
-I... I need to go, I'll be quick, I have something to do.  
She turned away and practically run to Maleficent, leaving Emma alone on the dance floor. When she reached the older blond, she was almost waiting for her, her daughter gone in the crowd.  
-Maleficent, why are you here ?  
-I'm here for Lily, of course, she's supposed to meet the Prince tonight... Then I heard about you being here , and I thought it might been interesting to see you again.  
The last time Regina's and Maleficent had crossed, they fought , and Regina had killed the companion of Maleficent, a pony (quite ridiculous if you ask the brunette). She was definitely not the slightest interest in her friend melding in her business tonight.  
-But you Regina ? Why are you here ?  
-Well, I'm still free to do what I want.  
-Oh, I feel like there's something interesting there. Maybe you like a beautiful prince ? No, with you it's probably going to be a princess, right ? So let's see... Maybe the brunette over there ? No, too perky. Maybe this one ? Or the one with the mask ?  
-Mal..., Regina growled without even trying to stop herself.  
-Oh, I feel like I really found something now...  
-Don't. Touch. Emma.  
-Em-ma, Maleficent smiled. What a sweet name...  
-Don't touch her !  
Regina was clearly threatening now, her magic flush with her fingertips. But Maleficent wasn't intimidate, approaching Regina for the challenge, refusing to leave the last word to the brunette.  
-Remember Regina, I'm still free to do what I want.  
With that, Maleficent turned away, leaving a really angry Regina.  
The brunette remained motionless for several seconds before moving and heading to one of the terrace. She needed to get out, needed to breathe and especially needed to calm down if she didn't want to reduce to dust the first person who was going to talk to her.  
She stayed outside several minutes, just watching the garden plunged in darkness. She didn't understand how she acted with Maleficent. She had always been in rivalry with the blonde witch, but the thing which made no sense was her reaction to Emma. She couldn't explain her reaction when it came to Emma. She did not understand the need to protect the young woman who she had just met. It was not logical, it was not like her. Not like her at all.  
Several minutes went by before she felt she had really regained control over her magic and her emotions. She went back to the hall, but wherever she went, wherever she looked, she could not see any trace of the blonde.  
-Damn it !  
She went to a little room somewhere in the castle and locked herself in here, trying a new time to regain control over her magic.  
-Zelena ! She called. Zelena, come here !  
A thick cloud of green smoke quickly filled the room, before evaporating to let appear the fairy.  
-Regina ? What's going on ? You seem... worry ?  
-Emma is gone !  
-What ? Where ?  
Zelena didn't even bother asking Regina who she was talking about. Her and Regina had spoke earlier in the night, Zelena telling Regina what was the name of that "mysterious blond".  
-I don't know ! I was dancing with her and then Mal arrived and I went to talk to her and when I get Emma just wasn't there anymore !  
-Regina, calm down, I'm going to find her.  
-Who ? You ? Zelena, you're a fairy. Your power is limited.  
-I... I'm her fairy, Zelena confessed.  
-You what ?!  
-I'm Emma's fairy godmother too...  
-You're...  
-Look, you'll be angry later, okay ? Right now, I'm her fairy too, so I can find her.  
Without waiting for an answer, Zelena disappeared, focusing on Emma to find her... and reappeared in front of a closed door.  
-Emma ?  
-Zelena ! Zelena it's you ? Please, open the door ! My sisters trapped me here !  
-Wait a sec, I'll come back.  
Zelena powers didn't allow her to open that door ... Her powers were very limited. She joined Regina and caught her hand without giving her time to react, making the two of them reappear in front of that door.  
-It's your move, Regina. Emma is behind that door.  
The brunette didn't took time to think before opening the door. Emma was there, right behind that door, and even if she couldn't explain why, she needed to see her again.  
When the door opened, the first thing she saw was the bright green eyes, slender, and no longer hidden behind a mask. Emma's face was fully discovered and Regina's could not stop to look at all these new detail. Then she finally noticing the shock so visible on the face of the blonde, and the clothing she wore now.  
Far from the pale blue dress, her outfit was now made up of a brown skirt, a white apron and a blue top. A maid outfit.  
-Oh no, Emma whispered.  
And she ran off. She didn't want Regina to see her like that, like a servant, a nobody. She did not turn around when the brunette called her and continued running. She crossed several corridor, trying to avoid going through the hall or there were still many guest and finally arrived to the gardens. She was heading to the floral walkways when smoke cloud was formed under her eyes, forcing her to stop her run.  
-Emma, I don't care who you are ! Regina screamed before even being completely there.  
But the blond couldn't believe it. Far too many times, she had had hope before being disillusioned. And she wasn't strong enough for that anymore. She now prefered to not believe, to never be disappointed.  
-You... You don't mean it.  
-Yes I do. Emma, listen to me, please.  
Regina grabbed her hand, and just like that Emma could not fight. She might not want to believe, but a part of her couldn't help to trust the brunette. Regina's hand against her was soft, warm. But at the same time firm. And for a moment, Emma closed her eyes and just let go of everything, all her worries, a single tear flowing on her porcelain face.  
-I don't care if you're a princess or a servant, a queen or a stable-girl. I don't care about who you are, I just care about you. I know we just met tonight and this is totally crazy, and honestly, this is not me, I'm usually not the type to let go or even to feel something but.... I can't watch you leave. I can't and I won't.  
And Emma didn't know what to say, what to answer, so she didn't say anything. She squeezed Regina's hands and kissed her. The kiss was salty cause they could taste Emma's tears, but more than that, they could feel each other smiles. But finally, this kiss just tasted like happiness for them, like hope and second chance, like new life.  
Finally, it just tasted like happy ending.


End file.
